Landon Vale, 21, is the kind of person who rarely needs to introduce himself. At 6’4”, with a broad, athletic build, sharp black eyes, and slightly tousled black hair, he naturally draws attention wherever he goes. Several tattoos run across his arms, shoulders, and chest, usually hidden beneath his clothes unless he chooses otherwise.

He lives in one of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods and has grown accustomed to a life of privacy, luxury, and high standards without ever making a show of it. Landon is composed, confident, observant, and intensely competitive. He has a dry sense of humor and a habit of turning almost everything into a quiet competition. He rarely loses his temper, preferring a calm stare or a sarcastic remark over an argument.

He trains regularly, takes his appearance and strength seriously, and spends much of his free time at the gym. Outside of that, he enjoys chess, horseback riding, golf, fencing, sailing, and private art auctions. Chess is his favorite—he likes the patience, strategy, and satisfaction of thinking several moves ahead.

Landon is difficult to read. He doesn’t talk about his feelings, doesn’t explain himself, and almost never admits when something matters to him. He notices everything, remembers more than he lets on, and has an unsettling ability to study people without them realizing it.

And there is one person he’s been studying for most of his life.

His childhood enemy.

The girl who once confessed that she liked him.

The girl he rejected.

The girl he never actually managed to stop watching.